Vehicle with contactless throttle control

Abstract

A vehicle power control that includes a throttle mounting portion and a throttle that is movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider. The power control also includes a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion. The sensor is configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle.

1. A vehicle power control, comprising:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; and 
 a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle, 
 
       wherein the sensor is configured for sensing an absolute position of the throttle without requiring movement of the throttle. 
     
     
       2. A vehicle power control, comprising:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; 
 a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle; and 
 a magnetic member having a magnetic field and associated with at least one of the throttle and the throttle mounting portion, wherein the sensor is configured to sense the magnetic field to sense the position of the throttle. 
 
     
     
       3. The power control of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is configured for sensing the orientation of the magnetic field to sense the position of the throttle. 
     
     
       4. The power control of  claim 2 , wherein the magnetic member comprises a permanent magnet. 
     
     
       5. The power control of  claim 2 , wherein the magnetic member has magnetic poles disposed so that the magnetic field at the sensor changes orientation as the throttle is moved. 
     
     
       6. The power control of  claim 5 , wherein the throttle is rotatable about an axis, and the magnetic poles are disposed at different radial and circumferential locations with respect to the axis. 
     
     
       7. The power control of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises a differential Hall effect sensor configured for sensing an absolute orientation of the magnetic field without requiring movement of the throttle. 
     
     
       8. The power control of  claim 5 , wherein the magnetic poles are disposed at different eccentric locations with respect to the axis. 
     
     
       9. The power control of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a support member supporting one of the magnetic member and sensor for moving said one with respect to the other to orient the magnetic field in a predetermined orientation when the throttle is in a predetermined position; and 
 a locking member configured for locking the support member in said predetermined position when such position is obtained to retain said orientation of the magnetic member with respect to the sensor with the throttle in said predetermined position for calibrating the sensor. 
 
     
     
       10. The power control of  claim 9 , further comprising a threaded member having threads and fixed to the throttle, wherein:
 the support member is in threaded association with the threaded member and comprises first and second threaded portions that are flexible with respect to each other and that are in said threaded association; and 
 
       the locking member is configured for flexing the first and second flexible portions with respect to each other for gripping threads of the threaded member to rotationally lock the support member with respect to the throttle. 
     
     
       11. The power control of  claim 10 , wherein the locking member comprises a fastener. 
     
     
       12. A vehicle power control, comprising:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; 
 
       a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle, and the signal is a pulse-width modulated signal in which the pulse width is related to the sensed position. 
     
     
       13. A vehicle power control, comprising:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; 
 a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle; and 
 a throttle biasing assembly to resiliently bias the throttle towards a neutral position with respect to the sensor, the biasing assembly being configured for applying a lesser bias to the throttle toward the neutral position when the throttle is displaced from the neutral position on a first side thereof than when the throttle is displaced from the neutral position on a second side thereof. 
 
     
     
       14. The power control of  claim 13 , wherein rotation of the throttle from the neutral position in the first side demands acceleration, and rotation in the second side demands regenerative braking or reverse power. 
     
     
       15. The power control of  claim 13 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises:
 a first biasing member configured to bias the throttle in a first direction from the first side toward the neutral; and 
 a second biasing member configured to bias the throttle in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to provide the greater bias when the throttle is on the second side than on the first side. 
 
     
     
       16. The power control of  claim 13 , wherein the biasing assembly is configured such that:
 the first biasing member is in biasing association with the throttle when the throttle is on both the first and second sides; and 
 the second biasing member is in biasing association with the throttle when the throttle is on the second side and is disengaged from the throttle when the throttle is on the first side. 
 
     
     
       17. A vehicle power control, comprising:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; 
 a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle, and the sensor is mounted to the throttle mounting portion and is in the contactless association with the throttle. 
 
     
     
       18. A vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle power control including:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; 
 a sensor in contactless association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, in the contactless association, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle; 
 
 a motor configured for providing motive power to the vehicle; and 
 a controller connected to receive the signal from the sensor and to cause the motor to operate at a power level depending on the position of the throttle. 
 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 18 , further comprising handle bars configured for steering the vehicle, wherein the sensor is associated with the handle bars, and the throttle is a twist throttle mounted to the handle bars for operating the throttle and steering the handle bars. 
     
     
       20. A vehicle power control, comprising:
 a throttle mounting portion; 
 a throttle movably mounted to the throttle mounting portion and configured for manipulation and operation by a rider; 
 a sensor in association with at least one of the throttle and throttle mounting portion, the sensor configured for sensing a position of the throttle with respect to the mounting portion, and generating a signal based on the sensed position for controlling motive power of a vehicle; and 
 a throttle biasing assembly to resiliently bias the throttle towards a neutral position with respect to the sensor, the biasing assembly being configured for applying a lesser bias to the throttle toward the neutral position when the throttle is displaced from the neutral position on a first side thereof than when the throttle is displaced from the neutral position on a second side thereof; 
 wherein the biasing assembly comprises:
 a first biasing member configured to bias the throttle in a first direction from the first side toward the neutral; and 
 a second biasing member configured to bias the throttle in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to provide the greater bias when the throttle is on the second side than on the first side.